


Lost in the Dark

by EydrisIvo



Series: A World Torn Asunder: A Series of Shorts [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Romance, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 09:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3129923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EydrisIvo/pseuds/EydrisIvo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the incident at Redcliffe with Alexius, Ellana comes to term with what happened. She leaves Haven in an effort to clear her thoughts and encounters Cullen just outside the village.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost in the Dark

Ellana could see nothing but the constant crimson haze around her, no matter how hard she shut her eyes. She could still taste the sulphurous tang on her lips, and still see the red luminosity radiating from the eyes of those she had come to call friends. The red lyrium seeped from them like blood from a festering wound until it had enveloped them entirely in its odious grasp. Yet, despite the obvious contamination, they chose to help her. They fought alongside her, even as their bodies slowly decayed.

She opened her eyes, once again greeted by Haven’s frozen landscape. The stars were bright, their light heightened by the clarity of a night sky with no moon. Cold air invaded her lungs, sharp like the grief that still lingered in her stomach. Her vision was blurred by tears yet to fall, and no matter how hard she tried to close them, Leliana’s blight touched face gazed back at her. She tried to turn away from the visions, but in each direction she looked, they were staring back at her.

Ellana broke into a run, moving through the snow covered pathways of the small encampment until the buildings were gone from her sight. All that remained in her view were endless trees, their branches covered in snow and ice that sparked like diamonds on a noble’s fingers. She wanted to run until all she saw was blackness, until everything vanished and she could finally be alone with her thoughts.

She ran. She ran away from everything that haunted her. She ran from the heavy consequences that lay ahead if the Inquisition failed. She ran from this false identity thrust upon her, and she ran in the hopes that eventually she would awaken from this nightmare that had become her reality. The ice and rocks struck her knees as she fell to the ground, palms forward. The pain was welcome, as it numbed everything else she was feeling at this point. She focused on the cold that slowly took the feeling from her hands, its surface a touch of comfort.

“Ellana?” A familiar voice broke the terrifying sequence of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She recognized the voice, and her stomach churned at the realization. “Ellana,” the voice repeated, and she was able to make out a form kneeling in front of her in the darkness. “Are you alright? They told me you had left. That you were running.”

She knew she would have to eventually look up at him, to see the distrust in his eyes. He likely thought she was battling demons, and that she was at risk for possession. The risk of possession for a mage was something Cullen had always kept forefront in his mind. His time as a Templar would be forever ingrained in him. It was part of who he was. Ellana took a deep breath, finally working up the courage to meet his gaze.

The light of the stars cast dark shadows on Cullen’s face, highlighting the firm line of his jaw that was framed by the fur mantle that rested on his broad shoulders. His golden waves of hair fluttered softly in the breeze, and his eyes—those deep brown eyes—stared back at her in concern. She saw no contempt in his gaze, and that was unsettling. His posture was distant, yet it showed no hostility. He reached out to place a hand on her arm, and his touch sent a spark of awareness through her.

This simple unexpected gesture caused Ellana’s breath to catch in her throat. Commander Cullen had always kept his distance from her, and made sure she was always at arm’s length. Yet, at this very moment, neither one could say a single word, breathless from such a simple, yet meaningful gesture.

“I,” Ellana stammered, her words catching, “I just needed to get some air. So much has happened tonight and I needed to clear my head.” She swallowed, averting her gaze from him. Why did he make her so nervous?

“What are you running from, Ellana?” he averted his eyes for a moment, his expression betraying a conflict within.

Ellana rocked back on her heels, bringing her hands up from the snow that blanketed the ground around them. The smallest droplets of blood were bright against the snow, and she glanced down at her hand in curiosity.

“You’re hurt,” Cullen whispered, moving to grasp her hand softly in his. She could feel the faintest hint of warmth beneath the cold leather of his gloves as he turned her hand over to inspect her wound.

“It’s fine.” Ellana tried to pull back, her green eyes focused on his boot, the plate reflecting the light of the stars. “I tripped and hit a rock. It’s not a big deal”

She felt his thumb move against her hand gently, causing the hairs on her skin to rise in its wake. He was closer now, and she could feel the moisture of his breath crystallize in between them. A heat began to rise in her cheeks, and she was embarrassed her body would even respond to him in that way. Ellana silently thanked the Maker for the cover of darkness that would hide her reaction to his proximity.

“I know why you’re here,” she stammered, keeping her gaze to the ground, “and, I’m not at risk for possession, even after what happened.”

“Ellana,” he spoke, his voice just above a whisper. He waited until she reluctantly met his eyes. “I came out here to see if you were alright, not to check up on you. What happened tonight could not have been easy on anyone, especially a mage.” Cullen released her hand and slowly rose to stand, still looking down at her. A gloved hand appeared in front of her face, an open invitation to pull her to standing.

At first she thought of refusing his help. She was certainly well enough to stand on her own. But, what if this was an offering? Had some part of him wanted to try and trust her? She certainly didn’t want things to be tense between them forever, especially if they were to be working together. Ellana reached upwards, placing her hand in his.

As he began to pull her to standing, her legs, numbed by the time spent against the cold ground, began to crumple beneath her. Her eyes widened as realization barreled through her mind. She was going to fall forward, and there was absolutely nothing she could do to prevent it. She felt the air blow past her as her body lurched forward, her red hair whipping wildly around her face.

Strong arms encircled her body, and she found Cullen’s solid form breaking her fall. The warmth of his physique enveloped her, and he rocked backwards at her impact. A look of surprise washed over his features, and he clamped tightly onto to her, preventing further injury.

“I am so sorry!” Ellana mumbled, refusing to meet his gaze. She was mortified at this new development. Her eyes focused on the muscles of his neck, and the smell of leather and plate filled her nostrils. His hands were resting on her hips, trying to steady her, but it only furthered the anxiety that rose in her throat. He was so very close, and she started to expect her nervousness was something else entirely.

“I,” Cullen stammered, “are you alright?” He exhaled, his breath brushing like silk against her cheek.

“Um, yes. I think so.” Ellana blinked, finally looking upwards into his eyes. She couldn’t tell in the darkness, but she thought she witnessed a flash of red on his cheeks. “I…”

“I’m worried about you, Ellana,” he murmured, looking down at her with an intensity that caused the fire to rise in her cheeks again. He gazed at her for a long moment, until the silence between them became unbearable. The tension dissolved between them, and time seemed to halt. The only sound was the whispering of the wind as it slid through the trees. They lingered like this for some time, caught in a moment that neither had expected.

It was then that his body tensed, and his grip loosened on her. He exhaled quickly, regaining his composure and placing both hands on her shoulders to make sure she was steady.  
“And, that is why I’m here to walk you back to Haven.” His voice was firm, professional. The commander turned from her, his boots crunching against the snow as he headed in the direction of the Chantry.

It was like night and day. All of a sudden he was back to the Cullen she was used to, the distant Templar that kept mages at an arm’s length, for his safety and their own. Yet, she had seen a small part of him that he rarely revealed. The cold air filtered around her body as she moved to follow him, but she could not forget the feeling of his body against her own, how right it all felt, if even for just a moment.


End file.
